If warm air rises, why is it so cold on the top of mountains?

Question

If warm air rises, why is it so cold on the top of mountains?

Answer 1

Warm air rises, cools, expands and then slowly falls to lower altitudes - hence cold air on top of mountains - the air has cooled and is falling once more.

These next links should help explain - re warm air rising etc. . .

kids science information on how temperature changes air pressureWarm air rises, and when it rises it becomes cooler. That information is key to understanding a lot of meteorology (science of weather). ...

http://www.sciencekidsathome.com/science...

ARM - Education: Teachers' LoungeThe warm air rises and air pressure becomes lower over the land than over the sea. Air then blows from sea to land as a Sea Breeze. Meanwhile warm air tends ...

http://www.education.arm.gov/teacherslou...

- Weather Frontal systems are formed when two air masses of different temperatures meet. Because warm air is lighter than cold air, the warm air rises above the cold ...

http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/Climat...

All that warm air rising  -  you'll want to see the satellite weather - gives you a better idea etc. . . . .

Satellite weather pix from around the Globe

http://www.stvincent.ac.uk/Resources/Wea...

Answer 2

dunno and it's nearer the sun... odd innit

Answer 3

Because it expands, and hence cools.

Answer 4

Robert mentions it expands and cools - think also, the higher you go, the lower the atmospheric pressure, the lower you go, the higher the pressure. Higher pressure produces higher average temperatures, low pressure produces lower average temperatures.

Answer 5

The lower air pressure allows the air to expand, causing it to cool.

The ground radiates heat, at the top of the mountain, you are further away from that source of heat.  The earth is heated up by the sun, but that heat is also being radiated by the earth back into space.

Snow on mountain tops reflects heat.  Plus its usually more windy up there.

In certain geographic locations, at certain times of the year, its actually warmer on higher ground.  Although this probably applies to hills rather than mountains.

Numerous other factors as well probably.